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Rockaway Township Free Public Library

Main Library: 61 Mt Hope Rd Rockaway, NJ 07866 973-627-2344 | Hibernia Branch Library : 419 Green Pond Rd Rockaway, NJ 07866 973-627-6872

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Library History

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(1954-1966) Mrs. Mary Adler founded the first library location in the cloakrooms of the Marcella Community Club.A second library location was also established at the White Meadow Lake Clubhouse. In 1966, the Marcella Community Club station moved to the Hibernia School.

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(1968) The Township officially incorporates the Rockaway Township Free Public Library, and the White Meadow Lake Clubhouse became the first branch in September.The library owned 8,741 books, had about 500 registered borrowers and  circulated about 15,000 books.

libraryhistory_clip_image002(1970) The Lions Club purchased the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on Green Pond Road and donated the building as temporary housing until a municipal complex could be built. The  building dedication took place in April 1970. This is the current location of the Hibernia Branch. The Church was determined to be eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places for embodying the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction.

The church was constructed on donated land in the Vernacular Victorian Carpenter Gothic style between 1868 and 1869. It was sold to the Lions Club in 1969 for use as a library, and later transferred to the Township of Rockaway. Currently it is used as the municipal library and the Health Dept. Annex.

The 2008 grant provided for a Preservation Plan to guide future preservation work, as well as the preparation of the Register Nomination.

The 2010 construction grant provided for Phase I exterior restoration based on the recommendations of the Preservation Plan, including concrete and masonry repairs, exterior siding repair, roofing and roof drainage upgrades including restoration of cornice line, restoration of doors and windows and surface preparation and painting. Funding for Phase 1 of the exterior restoration was made possible in part from the Morris County Board of County Commissioners through the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund.

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(1971) Rockaway Township Library expanded to 3 branches: Birchwood School, Green Pond Road (Church), and White Meadow Lake Clubhouse.

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(1973) The Main Reading Room is dedicated to Walter Adler, who led the drive for the Rockaway Township library building.

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(1981) In May, the new Rockaway Township Library opened its doors at 61 Mount Hope Road.The Holy Trinity Lutheran Church building on Green Pond Road was kept as the Hibernia branch for residents of the northern end of the township.

youthcenter

(1985) The Rockaway Township Library “Youth Center” is dedicated. The children’s book collection is shelved in this area.

sundayservice

(2002) In January 2002, Library Director Jeanette Cohn added Sunday hours at the library: 1pm to 4 pm from September through May weekly.

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(2008) Rockaway Township Library celebrates its 40th Anniversary with a 1968 style party at the library on September 21, 2008.

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Main Library

61 Mt Hope Rd
Rockaway, NJ 07866
973-627-2344
Mon - Thurs: 9am-8pm
Fri: 9am-5pm
Sat: 9am-5pm
Sun: 1pm-4pm
Closed on Sundays between Memorial and Labor Day.

Hibernia Branch

419 Green Pond Rd
Rockaway, NJ 07866
973-627-6872
Mondays 11am-5pm
Wednesdays 2pm-8pm

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Copyright © Rockaway Township Free Public Library under a Free Cultural Works Attribution 4.0 International license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)